Luo Shangyan shook her head, motioning him not to speak. Xiao Chen could guess a little and asked her to take a seat in his room. He instantly set up an Audio Barrier at the window and the door. They could hear what was outside, but no one outside could hear anything from within.
"Senior Sister Luo! How did you end up here? Where is Xian"er? Wasn"t she with you?" This was the biggest question for Xiao Chen at the moment. Luo Shangyan shook her head and sighed. "Too much to say at one go... "
"It"s alright. Speak slowly."
Luo Shangyan sighed quietly and began to speak with that lovely voice of hers. "When Sister Xian"er and I were sent to Skygale Sect in Violet Manor, we heard along the way that we would become some blood soul sacrifice. Luckily, some disputes arose one night among them, and both of us fled in the chaos. But after that, we got separated. Later, someone came after me to kill. I was heavily injured and saved by the Sect Leader of the Teal Jade Sect... "
Xiao Chen could just about make out what happened. Xian"er could not be traced for the moment. Luo Shangyan had been saved by the Teal Jade Sect. So why were the palace guards guarding her now?
"How about you? How did you end up here?" Luo Shangyan suddenly broke his line of thought.
Xiao Chen trusted her very much and slowly recounted the events of the past days to her. He even told her about his mission to take the f.u.xi Zither strings. Luo Shangyan was so shocked she could not speak. She darted a glance outside the doorway hurriedly.
"By the way, Senior Sister Luo, why are these people guarding you so closely?" Xiao Chen was quite puzzled. Since Liu Yunzheng had saved her, why were palace troops guarding her? They seemed not to allow her contact with anyone outside.
Bitter grievance flashed across Luo Shangyan"s eyes. She shook her head and sighed wordlessly. Xiao Chen asked anxiously, "Tell me, what has really happened?"
Luo Shangyan continued to shake her head and sigh. She begged him not to ask more. At this moment came the voice of a guard. "Miss Luo, time to go."
Luo Shangyan rose. "I have to go." Xiao Chen hurriedly stopped her. "Wait. Don"t tell them I"ve recovered my strength. That way, you can visit me again."
Luo Shangyan gave a slight smile and nodded. She trod to outside the room. A long time pa.s.sed. Xiao Chen still could not understand. At the Three Pure Sect in the past, she would never keep anything from him. Yet, just now, he could see so much helplessness in her eyes.
This kind of feeling made him feel terrible. Following that, half a month pa.s.sed. Luo Shangyan came to visit him a few more times. Every time, it was the same: the moment he asked about herself, she would either evade the topic or have a very helpless look in her eyes. This feeling made Xiao Chen feel terrible.
And Liu Fenghuang visited him a few times more as well. She would pester him, just like in the past, to visit this place and that for fun. On this day, Liu Yunzheng visited him again. Xiao Chen knew that it was soon to be the Immortals League Compet.i.tion. He could no longer hide the fact that he had recovered his inner strength. If he continued to keep it a secret, he would arouse suspicions concerning Senior Sister Luo.
"Thanks to Senior Sister Luo"s careful treatment, I have already recovered my strength."
"Good, good!" Liu Yunzheng was very pleased. He said, "Just in time. His Highness the Third Prince is here today. He"d like you to come to the hall for a chat."
The Third Prince... the first people Xiao Chen thought of were Prince Zhao and his brothers. But the Third Prince could not have been them. He must be the Third Prince of the Zhou State. So he left with them for the side hall at the mountain gate square.
Before he had reached the hall, he could see from a distance a tall, ferocious divine beast standing outside. The beast had a dragon head and its entire body was cloaked in fiery flames. The savage animals and beasts within the distance of several dozen kilometers had all fled far away. This was none other than the legendary kirin.
When he reached the hall, he found a young man in finery holding a tea cup in his hand, savoring the tea carefully. When the young man heard the approach of the two men, he gave a faint smile. "You are here, Sect Leader Liu."
Liu Yunzheng bowed slightly. "Greetings to Your Highness." Then he said to Xiao Chen, "This is the Third Prince of our great Zhou State, Yu Wenmu."
Xiao Chen gathered his thoughts. This man was not only the Third Prince of the Zhou State, he was also a cultivator. His inner strength might be even higher than Gu Hanxuan"s. Xiao Chen cupped his fists slightly and said, "I am Han Chen. My salute to Your Highness."
Yu Wenmu put down the tea cup in his hand gently and looked at him with indifference. He said to Liu Yunzheng, "Oh? So this is that Young Master Han whom Sect Leader Liu claimed can play the divine zither?"
Liu Yunzheng smiled slightly. "Yes, indeed. Han Chen is a newcomer to the Teal Jade Sect and doesn"t know much etiquette. Please don"t take offense, Your Highness." He said this because he saw that Xiao Chen did not bow to pay his obeisance to the prince.
Yu Wenmu smiled gently too. "Nothing to take offense about." Saying this, he walked toward Xiao Chen and said before him, "So, Young Master Han can play the divine zither. It is truly a blessing of our country."
Xiao Chen replied, "You flatter me." He thought to himself that this prince had a far haughtier air than Prince Zhao and his brothers. He seemed to be trying to put him down.
Yu Wenmu continued to smile faintly and spoke to Liu Yunzheng. "I haven"t seen Shangyan for days. Is she doing well?" Liu Yunzheng answered, "My daughter has already gone to fetch Miss Luo. Your Highness, please just wait a while." Just when they had finished speaking, two persons entered from the outside. They were none other than Liu Fenghuang and Luo Shangyan.
When Luo Shangyan saw Xiao Chen with Yu Wenmu, she was stunned. Then, she knelt and make her obeisance to the prince. "My greetings to Your Highness."
Yu Wenmu beamed with a radiant smile. He strided out a broad step and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Shangyan, we will get married once the Immortals League Compet.i.tion is over. How can you still address me in these formal terms?"
"Shangyan dare not dispense with her etiquette." Luo Shangyan said lightly. When she had finished, she cast a gaze on Xiao Chen from the corners of her eyes.
Xiao Chen too gazed at her without a word. So this was what she was unwilling to speak about. He could sense that she was very unwilling. Yet in this Violet Manor, no one could dictate his own destiny.
Liu Yunzheng saw the odd look in his eyes. It was really disrespectful for him to stare at Luo Shangyan, so he coughed lightly and said, "Han Chen."
Xiao Chen recovered with a start. Yu Wenmu helped Luo Shangyan up and supported her as they walked to his front, smiling. "I have heard that this Young Master Han could play the divine zither. We have come to see him play."
Liu Yunzheng immediately took out the f.u.xi Zither strings, and it materialized into an illusionary Jade Zither. Only the C major string was physically tangible. The other six strings and the body of the zither were translucent.
Xiao Chen took over the Jade Zither and walked wordlessly to the doorway of the hall. Many disciples had gathered outside by the sides of the square. They were here because they wanted to know if the rumor that he could play the divine zither was true.
Liu Fenghuang was chuckling by the side. "Junior Brother Han, way to go!"
Xiao Chen pretended not to hear her. He held the Jade Zither horizontally and gathered his qi to his abdomen"s elixir field. With his right fingers, he plucked forcefully at the C Major string. The string arced mightily under his pluck. The disciples all gasped in surprise and started streaming toward his sides.
The body of the zither suddenly turned and glittered with scintillating light, almost as if dragons and phoenixes were flitting overhead. It seemed that an ancient bloodline had been invoked. Even the other six zither strings had turned solid and tangible. Liu Yunzheng"s heart could not help but skip a beat.
Gradually, the zither body became brighter and brighter. Its white rays awed even the rising sun. Xiao Chen now resembled a heavenly deity whom no one could fix a gaze upon.
Then, an extremely strong force spread out, shaking the entire Teal Jade Mountain. Its horrific power could not only be felt by these disciples at the mountain, but even by certain elders who were in seclusion at the mountaintop. Even these elders opened their eyes.
This was nearing the power of the Nascent Soul Realm. Liu Yunzheng cried out to himself that something was wrong. Once this string had been pluck, its lapsed power would destroy the entire Teal Jade Sect. He wanted to speak to forestall the act but it was already too late.
With a resounding strumming sound, Xiao Chen suddenly released the zither string at a colorful cloud in the horizon. The heavens and earth suddenly took on a dim complexion. A powerful, earth-shattering force hurtled up toward the sky, almost tearing up all the s.p.a.ce around it. Every disciple in the square covered his ears in great pain. Resounding with thunderous booms, the entire Teal Jade Mountain was shaking violently. Countless roof tiles fell, and many buildings in disrespair collapsed.
The surging thunders boomed farther and farther away, the aftermath of their terrible force causing repercussions in their hearts. It was fortunate that Xiao Chen aimed the zither string at the sky. Had he aimed it at the mountain gate square, the consequences would be dire.
Yet the sky, once streaked with colorful clouds, was now entirely clear. At this moment, not a single cloud could be seen over ten thousand kilometers. The cloud layers had all been shattered. Everyone was stunned. Even the kirin lay prostrate on the ground, its body trembling.
After a long while, scanty applause started to ring out in the hall. Yu Wenmu had left the hall. Liu Yunzheng seemed to wake from a dream, gazing at the inconceivable Xiao Chen at the doorway.
"I did not imagine that Young Master Han possesses such divine prowess. It is a true blessing for our country."
Xiao Chen answered, "You flatter me, sir."
Yu Wenmu smiled faintly and turned to speak to Liu Yunzheng. "We will have Young Master Han attend the coming Immortals League Compet.i.tion. A positive outcome is imminent."
Xiao Chen"s plucking of the zither string had made Liu Yunzheng tremble a little, even now. He cupped his fists lightly. "That goes without saying."
Yu Wenmu did not seem to take the matter to heart. He raised his head slightly and walked toward Luo Shangyan. Twisting his fingers with his illusionary prowess, a small brocade box appeared in his palm. He opened it gently and soon a light scent permeated the place. In it was a snowy white pill enwrapped in a faint white halo. Immortal qi seemed to linger around it.
"This Core-forming Pill was painstakingly refined by my master. It can help you break into the Foundation Building Realm."
The disciples who had not recovered from the previous incident now all completely awakened. The pill had been concocted by Perfected Immortal Liku from the Nanzhan Subcontinent. This was the reason why it was so extraordinary. Even in Violet Manor, such Core-forming Pills were rare. Furthermore, this pill was of the highest pedigree. It might seemed extravagant for someone to use it to break into the Foundation Building Realm. Many disciples standing outside were already drooling.
Luo Shangyan gave the box a gentle push and rejected it. "It is such a precious gift. I do not dare accept it."
Liu Yunzheng looked at her first, and then at Xiao Chen. He found their expressions rather peculiar. Smiling, he said, "Miss Luo, you will soon be married to His Highness. You"d better not reject his kind intentions."
No one noticed the trace of animosity flashing across Xiao Chen"s eyes.